1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a golf club having a releasable connection between the club head and the club shaft and, more particularly, to a golf putter that includes a putter head releasably connected to the putter shaft to permit a change in the weight and configuration of the putter head, as well as a change in the type of shaft used with a selected putter head.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Since putting is the most personal and delicate stroke in golf, golfers are particular about selecting a putter which will feel comfortable in a particular stance and provide for optimum mental concentration in executing the putting stroke. Due to the nature of the putting stroke and the high degree of concentration, and therefore comfort necessary to produce the desired results, putting is more easily affected by environmental and personal influences than any of the other strokes executed in a golf game. The lie of the ball on the putting green, the "speed" of the green, and the mental attitude of the golfer are the principal factors which charge with each putting stroke. The "speed" of the green determines the resistance of the golf ball to movement on the surface of the green and is determined by such factors as the length, thickness, variety, and moisture content of the grass, as well as season of the year and the air temperature. It is well known that these factors determine the force with which the ball is struck in order to obtain the desired results. Accordingly, the weight of the putter head determines to a great extent the nature of the putting stroke. For a given distance, a putter with a heavy head, such a mallet head putter, requires a shorter stroke than a putter having a bladed head.
It is well known to provide putters in which the weight of the head may be adjusted, as well as the angle between the longitudinal axis of the shaft and the head. It is also known to provide putters which can be adjusted for use for either a right-handed of left-handed player. U.S. Pat. No. 2,932,515 discloses a putter in which the weight of the putter is adjusted by attaching any desired number of weighted plates by means of bolts to an abutment face of the putter head. The desired number of weighted plates are bolted to the face until the putter has the proper feel for the individual golfer in response to the above discussed conditions which affect the putting stroke.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,191,936 also discloses an adjustable putter having a putter head provided with holes on opposite sides at the point of connection of the end of the shaft to the putter head for receiving weights. The weights may be of any material, such as lead, in the shape of wafers which are driven into the holes in the numbers desired to give the golfer the desired feeling of balance across the sweet spot on the striking surface of the putter head. The shaft of the putter includes a neck portion which is bendable to provide adjustments in the angle the shaft makes with the plane of the ground.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,206,206 also discloses a golf putter in which the angle the shaft makes with the plane of the ground when the putter head is positioned on the ground adjacent the ball is adjustable. The shaft and the putter head are adjustably connected to one another to permit the shaft to be moved angularly with respect to the putter head and also to be rotated axially with respect to the putter head. A removable connection is provided between the end of the shaft and the putter head.
It is also known as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,333,854 to provide a golf putter which may be converted from a conventional putter having a planar vertical face to a putter having a striking surface with a cutaway portion so that the upper one-half of the striking surface projects forwardly and is parallel to the lower half of the striking surface. Due to the cut-away portion when the ball is stroked, the ball is given an overspin when contacted by only the upper one-half of the striking surface. A bar is provided to fill the cutaway portion so that when the bar is used, the putter functions in a conventional manner. Additional patents disclosing interchangeable heads for golf clubs are U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,829,092 and 3,893,670.
While it has been suggested by the prior art devices to provide adjustable putters in which the weight of the putter head can be changed, the known devices require an exercise in judgment in the number of plates to be attached to the putter head or the number of lead wafers to be inserted in holes in the putter head. The plates are readily added or removed; however, when wafers are used they must be drilled out to decrease the weight of the putter head. These arrangements for varying the weight of a putter head are considered undesirable because they substantially leave to chance the weight which is selected in response to the desired results. The use of plates or lead wafers to change the weight of a putter head concentrates the additional weight at a point or points on the putter head. This does not provide a solid sense of balance for the putter head because the weight is not distributed uniformly throughout the entire body of the putter head. Therefore, there is need for a golf putter in which the putter head can be changed and, for each head selected, a solid sense of balance is provided throughout the entire putter head.